


Coin Toss

by KatcadeCascade (DreamWings231)



Category: RWBY
Genre: 'clover' and 'straight' in the same sentence for irony, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Jenga, M/M, Minor Angst, Power Swap, Volume 7 (RWBY), but like before things got intense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22432831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamWings231/pseuds/KatcadeCascade
Summary: It all started with a dust explosion.Because of course it does.Then suddenly Qrow finds himself in a pattern of good luck.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 11
Kudos: 182





	Coin Toss

**Author's Note:**

> look, i think we ALLL need fluff rn

It all started with a dust explosion.

Because of course it does.

It was supposed to be a regular training day between the Ace Ops and Team RWBY plus Qrow.

Several things went wrong because Harriet was overly competitive, Yang wanted to perform a new jump kick, Marrow used his semblance on Qrow, Elm thought Qrow would be easy to hit, Ruby wanted to save her uncle, Weiss was actually closer and was charging up the dust in her rapier, and Clover who was dueling with Weiss also wanted to stop Elm from doing too much damage.

So because Qrow was under the effects of _“Stay!”_ he saw it all happen like this.

Yang kicked Harriet, knocking the Op into a speeding Ruby who crashes into Weiss who drops her weapon. Harriet decides to kick the weapon away to fight off the ice princess so that dust infused rapier skids over to Qrow, still frozen by the way, right as Elm is swinging down her huge hammer.

Clover and Ruby are there right in time but since Ruby is all about speed, she actually reaches Marrows to lose focus on his semblance. So Qrow is able to move again, perfect timing to jump out of the way of Elm’s swing but also into Clover’s arms because for some reason he is here, wow those arms.

Anyway, the important part here is that the hammer smashes into Myrtenaster, creating an explosion.

Qrow would describe it if he could but all he could see was smoke and while the cackles of thunder and lightning banged around in his eardrums.

What he can describe is being held in Clover’s arms as they are both knocked to the ground from the sheer force of the compressed gravity dust. The Ace Leader had a secure and warm hold on the shapeshifter, having both strength and gentleness.

Pressed chest to chest with the man made Qrow feel all too warm and that’s not even mentioning that his face accidently mushed into Clover’s neck. Aside from the loud yelling from the others and the lingering explosions, Qrow can’t help but focus on Clover’s fast heartbeat. It’s probably from all the sparing or from the sight of Elm and Qrow taking the blast almost face first.

In his daze he didn’t quite hear Clover trying to get his attention, he just felt the vibrations of his throat. Then there were fingers in his hair, gently tilting his head up to peer down at Clover.

“Are you okay?” Clover asked, his eyes filled with some emotion that Qrow doesn’t dare to hope for.

“Um,” Qrow said as he begins to realize that he’s kind of on top of the other man, their legs are a bit tangled and his hands are grasping at Clover’s massive shoulders. He also feels Clover moves his own hands to hold onto his hips. One thumb is making circle motions on his lower back that just sends Qrow’s mind into blankness.

Qrow blinks a few times, trying to regain his voice but it still sounds squeaky, “I’m fine.”

Clover’s chest heaves with a giant sigh of relief, Clover closing his eyes too and letting his head drop to the floor, “Good, that’s, huh, good to know.”

That’s when Clover’s aura flickers a little, signifying exhaustion. Qrow immediately gets off him, helping Clover sit up, “Hey you took a lot of hits too. You didn’t need to pull a hero save for me.”

Helping each other stand up, Clover sends him a confident smile despite how ragged he looks, his hair is even messed up. It’s not a bad look on the uniformed man. “It’s all worth it to see you safe.”

He even as the gall to wink at Qrow.

Normally that would send an embarrassing flush to his face, not that Qrow will admit it, but this time Qrow ignores the heat in his face to walk Clover to get whatever medical check he needs.

The rest of the Operatives and the kiddos have got their selves at better aura levels, all checking up on each other.

Well, all but one.

Weiss is kneeling at her broken weapon. The dust chamber is in shambles while the blade appears bent. Next to her, Ruby is already reassuring her on what can be salvaged.

“Hey,” Elm has the decency to look a tad guilty, “I’ve sent a message to Pietro. He’ll get it fixed by the end of the day.”

Harriet rolls her eyes, “He has you on speed dial from the many times you broke equipment.”

The hammer woman laughs, “As if you’re not guiltier.”

Qrow can’t help but note there’s no apology said yet, given the tension rising and falling in Weiss’ shoulder she acknowledges it too. But she’s not one to demand an apology from an accident, despite how simply one would be.

“I’m sure Mr. Polendina can fix all the damages,” Weiss polity says, gathering her weapon’s remains with Ruby’s help. The ice princess stands up with poise and grace, not looking at anyone as she and her partner leave the training room with Yang and Blake following after.

As the Ace Ops head to their own locker room, Qrow has the pleasure of being Clover’s crutch, leaving them being last two leaving the training grounds.

“Are all your team walking hazards like my kids?” Qrow asks, needing some tension broken and not by an explosion.

“As legally as possibly,” he replies, like that makes any sense, “but yes, sometimes we aren’t the luckiest bunch.”

“Hah, I find that hard to believe,” Qrow counters, “I bet you use all your luck to make sure your team doesn’t cause property damage.”

“I only use all of it when something important happens,” Clover answers but there’s serious weight in his voice. If Qrow would glance over he would notice the way Clover stares at him.

Instead he just ignores the eyes he feels that are burning into his heart.

Because of the explosion, the training grounds are closed for reconstruction. Apparently the dust fried some of the unique tiles that terraform and other technical difficulties.

Unlucky, ain’t it? But it does give them all excuses to relax a bit more than usual.

Which leads to Qrow, Clover, Vine, Ren, and Nora into a friendly poker match.

The huntsman doesn’t trust the near blank expressions that are Vine’s and Ren’s poker faces. He most certainly does not like Nora’s keen eyes and cackling smile. Then there’s Clover with cards, that’s enough of a reason to send Qrow into a competitive state.

Because the Valkyrie is participating, their chips are chocolate chip cookies.

And since it’s cookies, Ruby is banned, yah know, for obvious cookie eating reasons.

You can’t sell what you already consumed.

This game round is coming to a close, with Clover and Qrow having the most wins so far.

Vine and Ren have wisely chosen fold but Nora has a smug face as she calls, “Call!”

Qrow sends the luckiest man a suspicious glance. Clover looks equally anxious because Nora is a true wildcard. Her last hand had a joker and two jacks of heart.

No one knows how she’s cheating but are too afraid to fall for her traps.

“Call,” Qrow said.

“Call,” Clover echoes sending Qrow a wink that is probably meant to mess with him.

The three players show their hands.

Nora has a Three of a Kind.

Clover has a Straight.

Qrow has a Straight Flush.

To be complete honest, Qrow has no idea how he was able to draw out all these club cards (he refuses to call the suit clover) but thanks to countless of rounds against Clover, he was able to withhold any facial tells.

“Nooooo!” Nora bemoans as Qrow collects his earnings. Ren pats her shoulder.

“Well, well Qrow,” Clover sends him an impressed grin, “Lucky you.”

“I’m not the lucky one,” he immediately says and before Clover tells him off for dismissing a compliment, Qrow calls over, “Ruby, I won you something!”

Red petals fill the air as all the cookies are whisked away, a blurred “Thankyouuncleqrow!” can be heard.

Qrow thinks that should be the end of his good luck, or at least his bad luck spread to others in the least harmful way possible.

But then the next day he’s strolling through the hallways and passes Oscar with a comedic amount of books towering up in his arms. His little farmer arms were nothing to doubt about but hey, it’s Oscar, a kid in his care, of course Qrow is gonna worry.

The huntsman wants to immediately fear that the books will topple over the moment Qrow notice him but no, nothing happens.

He still worries of course but he just dumbly watches how the tower does not even sway when Oscar walks by with a casual, “Hi Qrow.”

Qrow stands and stares as noting bad happened.

A part of him wants to offer his help but an old and insecure part of him chains him down with the knowledge that he’ll actually cause more harm than help.

Still though, watching Oscar walking with his back straight and a happy smile, ready to read a stack of Atlas books has Qrow standing by for other reasons. It’s the same feeling of watching Ruby and Jaune plan out their heist for the airship, pride.

That feeling is fleeting away when he sees Oscar’s boot laces unknot and in a classic case of bad luck, he trips over his own feet.

Qrow is there in a heartbeat, catching a falling Oscar away from the airborne books.

He gets him out of range and brushes the boy’s head around, checking for paper cuts, “Are you hurt? Did you get hit?”

“I’m fine Qrow,” he assures but looks passed the worrying man, “Oh no.”

Again, Qrow fears the worse when he hears the books suffer from the effects of gravity. There’s a bunch of loud thuds of books hitting the ground and surprisingly enough, a very human, “Ouch!”

Fallen on his ass, Clover is littered with books awkwardly opened on him. There’s even one acting as a hat for the Ace Op.

Clover shakes his head rid of paperback, “I know I hit a lot of books back in study hall but I never thought they’d want revenge.”

Qrow winces and gets to his knees to get the books at least off of the man.

“Shit sor-“ is out of his mouth but Clover interrupts.

“You absolutely have nothing to say sorry for,” Clover rearranges himself to a kneel to start gathering the books.

“He’s right,” Oscar agreed, “You saved me, thanks.”

Qrow still wants to apologies for his semblance but he can’t do with two pair of eyes staring at him like he has no faults. He manages to choke up, “You’re welcome, Os.”

He promptly ignores the fast beating of his heart as he and Clover assist Oscar in carrying his nerdy amount of books.

That little event of luck shouldn’t be a part of an increasing pattern of _good_ luck in Qrow’s life.

It there in small stuff like two candy bars falling from the vending machine that has Weiss’ favorites.

Even there for big stuff like a nasty Grimm got too close to an equipment truck. Qrow was the only one to land a hit on the beast and at the moment, he chalked it up to skill.

But all of those lucky hits or shots, it feels too effortless and entirely not him.

Of course he assumes it’s because he’s partnered with Clover for those fights but that doesn’t explain the times when Clover isn’t around.

His last straw was when he caught RWBY and JNOR playing jenga in the commons room.

It was Blake’s turn and Yang was goading her to take a middle piece that’s all alone. Yeah, _that_ piece where the left and right are already taken, the piece no one should even consider taking if they want to lose.

The cat has a smallest of smirks as she pinches that lone piece.

Everyone has horror etched onto their faces, Qrow included is frozen. It’s like those moments where people can’t help but watch a tragedy in motion.

No one dares breathes as Blake swiftly pulls the wooden block out and!

…the jenga tower’s top half snaps back down, eating up the empty space, and it shudders and shakes and its balance returns and nothing else happens.

The tower doesn’t fall.

The kids loses their shits.

Ruby and Nora are jumping up and down, their respective partners trying to get them to stop but their eyes are still glued to the still intact tower. Jaune is on his knees and wordlessly gasping. Oscar is tugging at his hair as if he’s losing his mind. Meanwhile Blake bumped fists with a grinning Yang.

Red petals flutter into Qrow’s nose and he nearly jumps at the sudden ball of excitement clinging to his arms.

“Uncle Qrow, did you see that?!” She shouts in his ear, grinning a manic smile that made her look more like Summer.

“Yep, caught the whole thing,” Qrow ruffled up his kid’s hair, ignoring the panic rising in his head. “I better leave, don’t want to bring any sort of luck for anyone.”

Although it was meant as a joke, Ruby’s grin softens, “We don’t care about any luck. We’d love it if you stay.”

He’s left speechless, his heart tight with that fluttering hope and love that he’s been experiencing more and more lately. Or maybe he has always experienced it and only now has he acknowledge it as hope and not fear for the worst.

Still though, Qrow denies the invite only so to do something important.

He’s a trained huntsman, he knows how to track down his targets but for _some_ reason, he gets it right on the first try.

Qrow pulls his target by the (muscly) arm the moment he’s out of a meeting room and down a bunch of halls to a private balcony.

“What did you do to me?” He hisses with madding irritation and confusion from being overwhelmed at the _luck_ that has been happening.

Clover blinks, “Huh?”

“You used your semblance on me for weeks!” He accuses and now that he said that out loud, he is beyond pissed, “Is this some sort of experiment? See if what, you’re a real life lucky charm?”

He wants to shout out more unjustified nonsense out of the Atlasian, get some answer to why he thinks that Qrow’s life sucks so much he decided to take pity on him.

Because ain’t that just Qrow? Pitiful, unlucky, better off alone.

Qrow doesn’t even notice his shoulders are shaking until Clover holds them firmly, just as secure as when he caught him during the dust explosion.

“Qrow, I promise I’m not doing that,” Clover said with a conviction that is as serious and strong as his eyes, “I would never do that to you.”

Then there’s a flash of hurt in those teal eyes and Qrow just wants to take back all those heated words.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, his shoulders shagging but Clover keeps his hands on him, “I just, there’s been lucky things happening and I know it’s not my semblance being inactive because I know it doesn’t stop being here.”

Clover raises a hand to cup Qrow’s neck, rubbing at a tense knot and easing Qrow to relax more, “You can be lucky.”

A laugh huffs out of him, “Yeah but it still feels like it’s you that’s lucky but you weren’t there for the jenga thing.”

“Jenga?”

“And then there was Ren and his pancakes tossing,” Qrow continued without skipping a beat, “and me finding the last protein bar-“

“That was you?”

“Yep,” he said without shame, “but I just don’t understand why I’m having good luck when you’re not even around.”

Clover let his hands fall to his side, leaving Qrow’s neck getting cold to the open air, as the Ace Op rubs his chin, “It’s probably the same reason I’ve been having bad luck when you’re not around.”

Qrow intelligently asked, “What?”

“Yeah, my pen exploded on me, I accidentally hooked Vine’s coattail off, and,” Clover crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the huntsman, “I lost my last protein bar.”

“You left it on the kitchen top,” Qrow defended with a shrugged and then processed the information, “Wait, are you suggesting that our semblances, our _luck_ , swapped?”

Clover reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver coin, no doubt a part of his assortment of luck charms, “Only one way to find out.” He flipped the coin in the air, its metal shining in the afternoon sun. It lands on the back of Clover’s hand and he quickly covers it, “Heads or tails?”

He almost wants to laugh at how simple this is, “Heads.”

Sure enough, Clover revealed that the coin showed the head shot of the first queen of Atlas.

Clover flipped the coin again, slapping his hands together, “Heads or tails?”

“Clover, this won’t prove a thing,” he argued, “This is a fifty-fifty chance and doesn’t explain how it even happened.”

“Just humor me, okay?” Clover asked with a bright smile that Qrow cannot refuse.

“Fine,” Qrow rolls his eyes, “tails.”

The coin has landed on the symbol of Atlas, tails.

Just as Clover flips for a third round, Qrow snatches it from the air and hides it on the back of his hand, “Heads or tails, Clover.”

He huffs and places his hands on his hips, “Heads.”

Qrow peeped at the results, still out of Clover’s sight. The coin was on tails.

He has the faint idea to bluff Clover and runaway with the coin but a lingering feeling in his stomach wants an explanation.

A pair of hands covers Qrow’s. “I take it that my hypothesis has gained consistence.”

“Why are you talking like a scientist?” Qrow scoffs.

“Field study and research cataloging was a mandatory class.”

Qrow booed, “Boo, only in Atlas.”

“Ha yeah,” Clover said and mindlessly scratched his cheek. There was still a small papercut from the book incident. “Actually, now that I think of it, I think I do know how this happen.” He raised his hands up, “On accidently, er well,” he winced and corrected, “maybe not on accident at the time, but I swear it was on good intention.”

“Just spit it out.”

“I think I did use my semblance on you when the dust exploded.”

His accusations from before piled up in his gut but he accepts Clover’s words logically, “But that was weeks ago, why am I still lucky today?”

Clover rubbed his neck, preferring to stare off rather than look at Qrow as he admits, “I may have used it directly on you and well, I gave you all my luck. Usually it’ll come back after a few days for me to access it again but I have noticed I’ve been quite unlucky too but I didn’t pay it too much mind.”

He’s rambling, the Atlas military man is rambling and while Qrow thinks it is very cute, his birdbrain can only focus onto one thing.

“But you said you’d only do it when it’s important,” Qrow said with disbelief.

“Well,” Clover stopped fiddling with his hands and stared right into Qrow’s eyes, “You are important.”

It is moments like these that Qrow is unable to comprehend how or why people tell him about his worth as if he’s a good man. Sure he’s knows he a capable fighter and he does his best with the kids but there is still doubts clinging onto him.

And of course he doesn’t know how to respond and so he blurts out, “I think I used my semblance on you too.”

Clover raised a brow, “I thought you said your semblance is passive.”

It is but it can be so unpredictable too to the point where Qrow understands it only after it has taken place.

Because only his bad luck would infer that _Clover_ having bad luck is unlucky for Qrow.

He tells the other man, “I think since you gave me good luck, my semblance just wanted to balance the scales.” Guilt wallows up in him, “I’m so sorry you had to deal with all of that for weeks.”

The moment he tilts his head down in disappointment for being so ignorant and selfish with Clover’s good luck, a hand cups his chin, making red eyes meet teal.

“Hey, no apologizing,” Clover repeats, “this isn’t your fault. I caused this to happen and it wasn’t all bad.”

“Books rained on you head.”

He shrugged, “Such is the price of knowledge.”

Qrow snickers, “I don’t think that’s how it works.”

“Still though,” Clover let his fingers glide around Qrow’s cheeks, a gentle feeling of being precious. That sends a shiver up his spine. “Your bad luck is treating me just find. In fact I think it likes me.”

“It’s not a pet,” Qrow said, still a little surprised to how much he enjoys the touch of Clover’s hands. He leans his head into the palm and takes the tiniest of steps closer to the man. “But I guess I’ll enjoy your luck while it lasts.”

“It can last as long as you want,” Clover tells him and Qrow realizes it’s a promise.

The idea of having good luck shakes the foundation Qrow has grown up on. He is born under unlucky stars, shadowed by misfortune, an omen to all who walks with him.

But here’s Clover, only unlucky for a few weeks and ready to give up his own gift to just give Qrow break from bad luck.

“No,” Qrow finds himself saying, “It’s my luck, it’s a part of me.”

It’s the weirdest feeling inside him, of Qrow wanting his luck back not because of the fear of Clover getting hurt but because it is rightfully his. Not out of responsibility or guilt but simply because it is a part of him.

Clover’s eyebrows squint together, silently asking if he’s sure, but then his face relaxes, “Okay but remember, I can be your lucky charm.”

Qrow bits his lip, catching the way teal eyes follow the motion, “I think right now I’m _your_ lucky charm.” His hands wander up to hold Clover’s hips.

Their foreheads brush against each other, Clover’s breath is hot, “Well I feel like the luckiest man in the world.”

Right when they’re about to lean in closer, a sudden noise rumbles the entire building, causing the two to stumble off balance and nearly hit the wall.

Was the school being attacked?

Was there another explosion?

Was it the Staff of Creation failing to keep Atlas support?

Nope, the two men perfectly heard the voices of children all scream together, **_“JENGA!”_**

Clover closes his eyes and sucks in an breath to calm his sudden angry.

Meanwhile, Qrow can’t stop laughing to the point of tears.

His hands are busy balling up Clover’s shirt so Clover is the one whipping at Qrow’s eyes.

In between breathless laughs, Qrow cackled, “You just had to call yourself the luckiest man in the world, hah!”

The unluckiest man in the world rolls his eyes, “Do you want to kiss before we check on the kids or after?”

The bubbling laughter in Qrow is joined with swelling warmth at hearing Clover sound so affectionate for his kids.

With a grin, Qrow just pulls Clover’s head down to smack their lips together.

He barely hears Clover’s forgotten coin fall out of his hands, chiming as it hits the ground.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally went into the season prepared for Ironqrow and then I got a case of Fair Game and decided, hey this is wicked cool, I love the symbolism and parallels. 
> 
> And then second half of the season happened and well I have decided on one thing. I ship Qrow with happiness. 
> 
> And that I need to cope in some way and thus I wrote this. Look, I just want Qrow to be happy!
> 
> Thanks for heading, I hope yall cope in healthy ways as we deal with all these feelings.


End file.
